Dishwashing machine



R. PAULY DISK-[WASHING MACHINE:

Dec. 12, 1933.

Filed Jan. 14-, 1931 i Sheets-Sheet =1 12, 1933- PAULY 7 1,939,630

DI SHWASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. l4, 1931 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 .29 i Z6 Z5Z4 I Z5 Patented Dec. 12, 1933 UNITED STATES DISHWASHING MACHINERemigius Pauly, Chicago, 111., assignor of onehalf to Eric Osterberg,Chicago, Ill.

Application January 14, 1931. Serial No. 508,612

Claims.

Our invention relates to dishwashing machines, and more particularly toa dishwashing machine having means for changing the water in the machineto rinse the soapy water from the dishes 5 after they are washed.

In order to thoroughly cleanse the dishes in a machine within areasonable time, it is advantageous to place soap, soap flakes, or otherdetergent substance in the tub to aid in cleansing the dishes. However,after the dishes are clean the soapy water must be rinsed therefrom.

Cine of the difficulties encountered in automatically withdrawing thesoapy water and replenishing it with clean water, is that the rate ofsupplying fresh water must be equal to the rate of withdrawing the usedwater, otherwise the tub will overflow or be emptied depending uponwhether the supply is greater or less than the withdrawal of water.Experiments have shown that the machine operates most effectively with adefinite amount of water therein.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved dish washingmachine.

A further object is to provide means for changing water in the machine.

A further object is to provide means for supplying and withdrawing waterat equal rates.

A further object is to provide improved means for supplying andwithdrawing water from the machine.

the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in sectionof a dish, washing machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the impeller and rotarypump,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a schematic plan view of the machine with the cover removed,

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the rotary member of the pump,

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of the pressure regulating valve,

Fig. 'l is a detail of the valve for controlling the supply of water toand from the dishwasher,

Fig. 8 shows the impeller in side elevation, and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view through one of the blades of the impeller,taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 4.

The washing machine consists of a tub 11, having a centrally slopingbottom 12, extending to a central opening in which a plate 13 issecured. Attached to plate 13 is a pump housing 14 pro- Other objectsand advantages will appear asvided with a downward extension 15, whichsupports a motor 16 for driving the operating portions of the machine.The pump housing has a spiral channel 17 provided with an outlet 18 fromwhich water is expelled through a pipe 19 to any suitable drain, as forinstance, to the kitchen sink. The pump housing has a central verticaljournal 21 having a hollow cylindrical extension 22. An impeller havingblades 23 and 24, is rotatably mounted upon this extension and thejournal. 55 The blades of the impeller are attached to a cylindrical hub25, which is reduced at its upper end as shown at 26 to fit loosely overthe drive shaft 2'7 of the motor, which extends from the motor throughjournal 21 and extension 22 into the reduced end of the hub 26. The endof the shaft may be provided with a cavity 28 having a ballbearing 29therein to allow the hub to rotate freely upon the shaft.

Shaft 27 has a collar 31 secured thereto by means of a key 32.Surrounding the shaft is a helical spring 33, one end of which isanchored in collar 31, while the other end extends through an opening inhub 25; thus the rotation of the shaft will produce a rotation of theimpeller hub through the yielding connection of the spring.

Within the pump housing is a rotatable member 34, having an upwardlyextending hub 35, having such an internal diameter as to receive thelower end of hub 25 of the impeller. The 35 impeller hub has alongitudinal slot 36 fitting over a pin 37 carried by the pump hub so asto rotatably connect the impeller and pump hubs. The impeller may beremoved from the machine by simply lifting it upwardly. This will at thesame time disconnect the pump from the motor shaft, because therotatable member of the pump is driven through the impeller. Therotatable member of the pump has an annular groove 38 in its upper face,which lies under an opening 39 in plate 13. Thus water draining from thetub through opening 39 will pass into the annular groove 38 of therotatable member. Extending from the annular groove 38 to the peripheryof the rotatable member are a plurality of spiral 10G tunnels 41. Therotatable member is designed to rotate in a clockwise direction asindicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. By making the tunnels spiral it isfound that a uniform flow of water is produced by the pump.

The tub is provided with a false bottom 42, which extends substantiallyparallel with the base of the tub and terminates short of the peripheryof the tub to provide a peripheral opening to the space under the falsebottom. The false bottom has a central opening 43 through which theexcess of water passingunder the false bottom which is not withdrawn bythe pump may be recirculated by the impeller. The false bottom is spacedfrom the bottom 12 by means of a plurality of spacers 44.

Upon the false bottom is a dish rack 45, the base of which rests in anannular groove 46. Rack 45 has a plurality of split rings 47 mountedconcentrically around the center of the rack and disposed so as tosupport the dishes at an angle to the radius but less than a angle tothe radius. The outer portion of the rack has supporting rods 48 forsupporting a second set of dishes concentrically about the first set ofdishes, but at a greater angle to the radius. This arrangement resultsin a reversal of the direction of flow of the water from that impartedthereto by the impeller. Referring to Fig. 4 for instance, it will beseen that the propeller rotating in a clockwise direction tends to throwthe water upwardly and outwardly and at the same time produce arotational effect. The water from the impeller striking the first set ofdishes at an angle, changes its direction of flow and strikes the secondrow of dishes which are disposed at a greater angle from Where the wateris defiected to the side of the tub and moving in the opposite directionfrom that at which it was thrown from the impeller. Since the water hasan upward as well as outward and rotational movement, some of the waterfrom the dishes will be splashed upwardly so as to reach the dishes inthe upper rack 49. A large portion of the water after having passed thedishes, strikes the wall of the tub and passes downwardly under thefalse bottom 42. A rack 51 for silverware may be provided in the centerof rack 45.

In order to thoroughly cleanse the dishes in the machine, soap in theform of flakes or the like, is first placed in the water and the actionof the propeller quickly forms the necessary suds. After the dishes havebeen thoroughly washed, the water should be changed to rinse thesoapsuds therefrom. In order to accomplish this automatically, it isnecessary to provide means for supplying fresh water and withdrawing theused water at substantially the same rate, since the machine operatesmost effectively when a definite amount'of water is in the tub.

.The pump described above serves to withdraw water from the tub at avery definite rate. In order to supply water to the tub at the samerate, an inlet 52 is provided, passing i through bottom 12, and thefalse bottom 42, in close proximity to the periphery of the impeller.The inlet is supplied with water from a pipe or hose 53, which leads toany suitable source of water pressure such as a sink faucet. It is wellknown that the pressure of water systems varies at different times ofthe day and a valve 54 is therefore provided to provide a definite rateof flow of water into the machine irrespective of pressure variations inthe supply. This valve consists of a cylinder 55 having a hollowcylindrical plunger 56 therein which is closed at one end. The side wallof the cylinder is provided with a longitudinal slot in which a stud 5'7secured to the cylinder rides to prevent rotation of the plunger. Thecylinder, as well as the plunger; is provided with exhaust ports 58which are normally held in registry by a spring 59. It will be seen thatwater entering the cylinder 55 will tend to depress the plunger 56against the tension of spring 59 and thus partially move the ports 58out of registry, thereby reducing the size of the outlet. The greaterthe water pressure the smaller will be the size of the outlet andtherefore the rate of water passing through the outlet will be constant.In the operation of the machine the valve 61 will be closed until theproper level ofwater in the machine is reached. Thereafter the valve 61is opened and the level of water will remain the same without requiringany further attention of the operator. After the dishes have been washedthe source of supply is disconnected and the pump continues to operateuntil all of the water is withdrawn from the machine.

In operating the dishwasher it may be necessary or desirable to wash thedishes for a considerable length of time with soapy water beforesupplying the rinsing water. During the time that no fresh water isentering the tub, the soapy water must be retained therein. In order tofacilitate the handling of the washer I provide a double valve having asingle stem 66 operated by handle 67, the stem extending between the twopipes 19 and 53 so that the valves in the pipes are operatedsimultaneously by means of the single handle 67. Accordingly, when thedishes are placed in the tub supported by the racks and the preliminarycharge of hot soapy water has been introduced through the pipe 53, themotor is started and at the same time the handle 6'7 is turned to shutoff both valves, leaving the main supply valve to the pipe 53 open.

When the washing has been continued a sufficient length of time thehandle 67 ismerely turned to open both valves and the machine functionsto rinse the dishes in the manner described.

In my prior application, Serial No. 726,770, filed July 18,1924, nowPatent No. 1,884,181, granted October 25, 1932, I show a dishwashingmachine which includes a tub for holding water with a bottom means forsupporting the dishes in a certain order above the bottom, and animpeller designed to throw the water upwardly and outwardly. against thedishes. This movement of the water, coupled with the positioning of thedishes, particularly the plates and flat articles, produces an unusualmovement of the water. In this movement the water in the first instancemoves upwardly and outwardly and also has some rotary movement in thedirection in which the impeller is turning. As the water strikes thedishes, however, it is gradually deflected until it reverses itsdirection and then moves in a substantially rotary and upward path,thereby washing the backs of the dishes. 130 In the present application,I show an improvement in the construction of the impeller by means ofwhich this action isv further enhanced and in which the requiredmovement of the water takes place with relatively little loss 01' power.135 In other words, by the new and improved construction of the impellerthe desired action of the water is brought about to a more satisfactoryextent, and the size of the motor required to produce the turning of theimpeller can be 149 decreased.

The shape of the impeller is shown generally in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. InFigs. 8 and 9 I show details of the impeller which still more clearly vbring out the shape thereof. Referringto Fig. 8, the impeller bladeshave substantially horizontal portions 23--a and24a,andsubstantia1lyvertical portions 23b and 24-b, with a curve of gradually decreasingradius from the horizontal to the vertical portions. The length of 150the blades at the horizontal portion is less than at the verticalportion, and in the embodiment with which I have had the best results inthe combination herein shown, thevertical portion is substantially twicethe length of the horizontal portion.

For the best operation of the dishwasher, particularly during therinsing period, it is desirable to have the water discharged from thepipe 52 in such a manner as to be caught immediately in the blades ofthe impeller. To secure this result I may place a slot 52' in the pipe52, where it projects through the false bottom 42. I may, however, soplace the pipe 52 as to direct the end opening thereof directly towardthe impeller.

What I claim is new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is:

1. In a dishwashing machine, a tub, an impeller for agitating the waterin the tub, a drive shaft therefor, a pump operatively connected to saidshaft, said pump being located under the impeller and comprising ahousing having a discharge outlet at the periphery thereof a rotatablemember therein having an annular groove in its upper face and spiraltunnels extending from said groove to its periphery, a plate forming thebase of said tub, and overlying said rotatable member and housing andhaving an aperture for admitting water to said annular groove.

2. In a dishwashing machine, a tub, an impeller for projecting water inthe tub upwardly and outwardly, a shaft for driving said impeller, apump operatively connected to said shaft, and located under the impellerand in communication -with the tub, a false bottom in the tubextendenter under the false bottom at the open periphery, said falsebottom extending between the impeller and pump and having an openingsurrounding the shait to permit water to flow therethrough to theimpeller.

3. In a dishwashing machine, a tub having a base, a plate in the centerof the base and having an outlet opening therein, a pump housing securedto said plate having a vertical journal, a hollow cylindrical extensionon said journal, a shaft extending through said journal and extension,an impeller comprising a cap having blades thereon, said cap fittingover said extension, a spring having one end attached to said shaft andthe opposite end attached to said cap, a pump in said housing, and meansfor interconnecting said cap and pump to drive the pump.

4. Irf'a dishwashing machine, a tub having a base, a plate in the centerof said base and having a water outlet opening, a pump housing securedto said plate having a discharge outlet at the periphery thereof, arotatable member in said housing having an annular groove in its upperface lying under said outlet opening, said rotatable member having aplurality of tunnels therethrough extending from said groove to theperiphery of the member, means for operating said rotatable member towithdraw water from the tub at a predetermined rate, and means foradmitting water to the tub at the same rate.

5. In a dishwashing machine, a tub, an impeller located near the bottomof the tub, a pump connected to the impeller and adapted to turntherewith to withdraw water from the tub, means for admitting freshwater to the tub, means for controlling the water admitting means toadmit.

